


The Angel From My Nightmare

by InkGhost



Category: Jacksepticeye-Fandom, Markiplier-fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU, Developing Relationship, Eventual Smut, Lovers of all things spooky, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 16:24:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7941235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkGhost/pseuds/InkGhost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack is the owner of Mythos, an oddity shop that's dedicated in the occult, creepy antiques, and all things spooky and macabre. What happens when he's greeted by a recognized horror author who takes a 'shy' interest in him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Window Shopper

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry, I'm still writing the next chapter for Wouldn't It Be Good, I just needed to get the first chapter of this out of my system because it's been gnawing at my brain for almost a week now. Keep in mind that I haven't had this thing beta'd yet so there might be some grammar errors, but for now, but I'll get back to them when I can.
> 
> Enjoy <3

It was three past six by the time Jack managed to finish getting dust off the bust of a taxidermied ‘Jackalope’ that hanged on the wall closest to the store’s entrance. The stuffed horned creature was purchased by a collector from New York who was vacationing in the city of Burbank for the last week of August. At first, Jack thought that the woman was pulling his leg when she told him her desire to purchase the old scruffy thing, and rightfully so. It was the very first rogue taxidermy project Jack had ever done back in his teen years and it clearly showed.

Growing up in a rural parts of Ireland, Jack was brought up by three things: video games, drums, and animals. However, the fascination with taxidermy came in the influence of his father who took an interest in hunting rabbits and would often invite Jack and his two older brothers to accompany him whenever rabbit season came upon them. While Jack showed no particular interest in shooting the poor fuzzy creatures, he couldn’t help but enjoy and watch how his Pa would go about stuffing some of the the small fallen creatures as a means of honoring them for putting up a good chase.

_“If ya can eat it, ya can stuff it.” His Pa would always say to him. “There’s nothin’ worse than lettin' a smart animal go to waste.”_

One evening though, back when he was still living in that cabin in the middle of nowhere with his parents. He stumbled across of pair of small deer antlers on the side of the dirt road near the woods. Jack wasn’t sure how they got there but he knew that he wanted to make good use out of them by recreating his own Jackalope bust with one of the dead rabbits that his Pa caught earlier that morning. What started out as a fun little hobby to do as a means of as a get away from video games, morphed into an ambitious passion project that nearly consumed a whole month of his teenage life.

God, those were the years.

Jack didn’t know how to feel about finally letting go of the mounted oddity that hanged so casually against the cluttered wall of vintage medium posters, stuffed animals, and framed portraits of Edgar Allan Poe. At the time the horned creature filled Jack with a sense of pride and accomplishment, but now there were times where he couldn’t even stand to look at the thing. Just going in to open up shop every morning and be greeted by those same beady little eyes made of glass had forever been a cringey reminder of his younger more inexperienced years as an aimless college kid that thought it would be cool to stick a pair of antlers on a dead rabbit and pass it on as some unseen mythical beast. Still, Jack couldn’t deny the fact that the Jackalope still had a special place in his heart. In fact he’d be lying to himself if he said that he wouldn’t miss the Jackalope hanging up there in that spot on the wall since the day he moved to California.

That feeling was all too clear when Jack’s heart began to sink once he finally took the bust off from the wall. No, no, he thought to himself, now was not the time to get emotional. He knew this day would come and besides, if he really didn’t want to sell it he could have just simply have told the New Yorker that the bust was not for sale, but that was simply not the case. Rubbing his eyes, the young Irishman straightened himself up and pouted at the horned beast staring back at him. The Jackalope needed to be delivered to Ms. Carter at her New York address first thing tomorrow and Jack was determined to make that happened. Still, if it’s not till tomorrow, he supposed he leave it on the wall for just a little longer. Sighing, he hanged the bust back on the wall and stretched his arms, a grunt escaping from the back of his throat when the lean muscles of his arms were stretched in a way that satisfied.

Jack was exhausted, since opening up shop at eleven that morning, he could safely say that he definitely had his day’s work cut out for him. What with the brigade of collectors, artists or just people in general who take a fancy in plague doctor masks and vintage Ouija boards. He shouldn’t complain though, no it would be dumb of him to complain. Jack loved staying busy, he loved meeting the kind of people that walked in and out of the store. Whether it would be to just buy something or to just come in and look around. He’s seen preps and goths, locals and vacationers, students and graduates. Jack had seen his fair share of people, and if it’s taught him anything it was to never judge a book by it’s cover. Just earlier today Jack was greeted by a man who, at first glance, looked like a fellow that belonged on one of those Lumberjack games that people only hear about on TV, never mind in a shop dedicated to all things spooky and macabre. Yet this didn’t stop him from purchasing the six foot mechanical fortune teller that Jack once kept on display outside of the shop.

Now it was quiet and Jack had only an hour before he was allowed to close shop. For the time being, he decided to take the opportunity to unwind at his front desk. His phone had but only 10% of battery left so surfing the web for the latest cat video or Star Wars fan art was out of the question. So instead Jack decided to do the next best thing and go back to reading the book his friend Suzy gave to him. At first Jack was hesitant to read it, in fact he would probably go so far as to say that he was downright reluctant. Yet there he was, sitting at his desk and reading the last story published by the ‘great and wonderful’ M.E. Fischbach.

Jack couldn’t help but mentally scoff at the name, M.E. Fischbach, mother fucking M.E. Fischbach. It wasn’t that he hated the author or his writing, Jack could never bring himself to truly hate of piece of entertainment no matter how over hyped or crappy it may be. Yet by the way Suzy and everyone he knew talked about him like he was the biggest thing since Stephen King always left Jack with something of a bitter taste in his mouth. The author was a good writer and the Irishman knew he deserved the praise, but the hype alone was enough to make Jack stear clear. Yet, between Suzy’s constant insistence and the fact that he lost a bet that involved whether or not the Ravenclaw house colors were blue and silver or blue and bronze. Jack was left no choice but to read the damn thing and, much to his annoyance, found that he was very much engaged in what was going on within the story so far. He didn’t care for M.E. Fischbach like so many of his friends did, however Jack knew when to give credit where credit was due, and he couldn’t deny the fact that the man knew what he was doing.

The book in question was called Contract, and it was about a young man named Randy who unwillingly sold his soul to the devil in return of having his friend’s lover killed. Jack was only two chapters in and while he still wasn’t sure what to make of the book yet, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he was enjoying himself.

_Randy woke up with a gasp, breathing hard as if he had just ran a marathon. Blinking, his tired eyes adjusted to the darkness around him and a feeling of relief washed over him when he recognized that he was back in the safety of his own room. Reaching an arm out, Randy grabbed hold of the clock on the nightstand that read 10:45 PM in bright red numbers and letters. It had only been an hour since he fell asleep and had that vivid dream about Sebastian. No, he wouldn’t dare call that a dream, he knew that the appropriate term was nightmare and yet, God it was just real. All of it felt so damn real, it was just Sebastian and Lauren walking down Tenth street, smiling and giggling over some mundane thing and telling idiotic jokes about pizza and ice cream. Then came headlights of a drunk driver swerving down the road and then…_

_Randy felt sick to his stomach, he could remember the look of shock on their faces as the vehicle drove closer to them, as if the driver was determined to crush them both under the weight of his car and not care for the consequences. He could remember the sounds Sebastian made when his body collided against the sheer force of the vehicle, how his body was torn and ripped open by the rough, thick rubbers of the wheels as they mercilessly rolled over him with bone crushing pressure. His body was torn and broken, blood stained the sidewalk beneath him, and a horrible scream that he was sure came from Lauren filled the air mixing in with the sound of sirens and horrified onlookers._

_That was all Randy remembered before waking up in a cold sweat. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he forced himself over to the bathroom and leaned himself against the sink. Turning the faucet on, he cupped his hands under the flow of cold water and splashed it against his face in a rather feverish manner. He didn’t like Sebastian, he was a self entitled prick, a fucking fanboy that got lucky. A loser who mooches off the success of his more well known girlfriend, and yet...no, that had to be a dream. He hoped to God it was just a-_

Jack forced himself to stop when he caught a glimpse of a figure by the window in just the corner of his eye. Was someone watching him? Being curious, Jack turned his gaze away from the book to see the presence of a man who appeared to be staring intently at the old wooden Ouija board that Jack kept on display at the window by the entrance. He was a tan skinned man with dark, raven colored hair that was stained with streaks of faded red. He sported a black flannel, baggy jeans and a pair of dark, thick rimmed glasses that looked as though it were sliding down the bridge of his nose the longer he continued to examine the vintage board from outside the shop.

Jack couldn’t help himself but to stare, for he was an attractive man with a strong, stubble jaw, and a toned body with noticeable muscles that were complimented quite well by the olive skin that contained them. Yet there was something else about this stranger that caught Jack’s attention, in that there was an air of familiarity to him that he couldn’t exactly pin point. This of course was unusual because Jack knew for a fact that he never seen this man before in his life. Had he been a past customer he would be sure to recognize him in an instant, but this was simply not the case. So why did the stranger look so familiar? Jack wasn't sure, and ultimately he didn’t care enough to let it bother him. He was just a regular person with dashing good looks and, quite possibly, could be a new potential customer.

Jack wanted to walk over and greet the window shopper and ask him if he needed any help with something or maybe even ask him for a cup of coffee if he was feeling bold enough, but froze once the pedestrian locked his dark brown eye’s with Jack’s more fair, blue ones and blinked. Jack smiled politely at the man outside the window, who in turned smiled back, though he did so in a slow, rather nervous manner that sparked a startled, awkward feeling to bubble within Jack’s chest. The feeling ended as soon as it started once the window shopper slowly turned his gaze back down at the board and casually walked away, as if he had been caught doing something that would have surely gotten him into trouble and wanted to leave the situation as discreetly as possible. Just like that, he was gone and Jack couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt and disappointment over it. It seemed to him that the man was a shy fellow and that Jack might have accidentally scared him off, and yet the Irishman couldn’t help but find this somewhat endearing, but sad at the same time. Oh why couldn’t he had just went out and talked to him? Then again would that have made the stranger even more uncomfortable? Jack didn’t know.

Still he knew that there was no point in dwelling on it for too long, what’s done was done, though Jack wouldn’t mind to see the man again under better circumstances. That was to say if the stranger chose to visit the shop again, but he wasn’t sure. Sighing he, turned to where he left off in his book and allowed himself to get caught up in the story once more until the clock stroked seven.


	2. The Customer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy this took a while, and I apologies for that. It's been somewhat if a crazy month but there it is! Thank you all so much for the comments and Kudos! It really means a lot, holly shit <3
> 
> I should probably get this beta'd later, but for now, I just didn't want to keep you guys waiting anymore, enjoy :)

“Would you like a receipt sir?” Jack asked as he quickly, but carefully packaged a skeleton of a two headed baby for the customer on the other side of the counter. What started out as a busy morning gradually cranked down into a slow afternoon, which was something that Jack couldn’t help but be somewhat grateful for as it gave him some time to catch his breath. He always found to troublesome when it came to wrapping anything involving skeleton figurines, whether they be real or fake. Mainly because there was always a fear in the back of his mind telling him that he might accidentally break them dude to his own clumsiness.

“No thank you.” The customer answered politely as he tucked his credit card back into the safety of his wallet.

“Would you like a bag then?” Jack asked again, presenting the box of the newly packaged skeleton to the customer, from which he responded with small shake of the head.

“No that’s fine, I’m just going to take it to my car anyway.”

“Alright then, here you go sir! Have a nice day.” Jack said with a smile as he finally offered the package to the man in front of him who thanked and smiled back at the Irishman return before leaving the store.

Once the customer left, Jack quickly realized that he was alone in the shop once again. It usually slowed down around this time, but then picked back up again once the late afternoon rolled in. He was in no position to complain though, instead he wandered to a section of the shop that carried a collection of antique medical and embalming tools from the twenties. There in the corner was a mannequin dressed in a full-geared Plague Doctor costume that Jack still needed to pin it to where it didn’t look it was falling off the mannequin. As he began to pin the shoulders onto the figurine, Jack couldn't help himself from giving an occasional glance at the beaked mask strapped tightly around the faceless object that wore it. Jack had plenty of masks like this displayed on the walls around his shop, especially the ones by the door and behind his counter, but this one was by far his favorite. It was a beautiful mask made of light brown leather with round glass eyes and a perfectly sized beak. Not too long, not too short.

Jack always had a fascination with Plague Doctors, ever since he was a kid back in middle school and his history teacher gave them a lesson about the timeline of the Black Plague, Jack remembered it as being the one of the few and only subjects he took interest in. To him, there was just both terrifying and amazing about humanity being pushed to the brink of extinction due to something as microscopic as a virus. It sounded something out of the typical post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, and yet not only did such a thing accrue but it was also a universally known event within the history books. The Plague Doctor was the disease’s icon, it’s symbol, it was something that most people would find horrifying and Jack would be surprised just how many people he knew found the image of the Plague Doctor to be frightening. To Jack, however, the Plague Doctor was alluring, it was mysterious, and he had no shame in admitting that.

After fixing the costume to where it looked more presentable, Jack forced himself to turn his gaze away from the masked figure and made his way to his usual spot behind the counter. Jack considered going back to reading his book, but just as soon as the thought entered his brain there came the familiar ringing sound of the bell by the door. Of course, Jack thought to himself, why was he not surprised? Still, he put on his best smile and turned to face the customer with the same politeness that he showed to anyone who decided to venture into his shop.

“Hi, can I…” Jack began to trail off.

Jack instantly recognized the man the second his eyes laid upon that inky black hair which was stained with streaks of messy red. There standing inside the shop by the doorway was the same strong jawed man with the tan skin and toned body. He sported a pair of dark baggy jeans that looked no different then the pair he wore the day before, a tight black t-shirt that complimented his torso tremendously in Jack’s eyes, and a pair of wide, leather wristbands for each wrist. Jack had to stop himself from staring, the man was so handsome and perhaps even more so then Jack remembered. Especially now that there wasn’t the shop’s window obscuring his view. Alas though, Jack had to be professional, the other man was still a customer so he needed to act like a shop owner first and foremost.

Jack cleared his throat. “U-uh-can I help you sir?”

The mystery man turned his gaze over to Jack and ran a hand through his hair. Something that Jack couldn't help but find to be nothing but cute.

“Oh hi,” The man replied in a rich, deep voice that nearly caused Jack to shudder. “Don’t mind me, I just thought I have a look around if that’s alright.”

“U-uh right, sure!” Jack said quickly, gaining back his composure. “If you have any questions please feel free to ask.”

The black and red haired man simply smiled walked over a small room in the shop that contained various collection of taxidermied bats, mounted bugs, and a small shelf that held a series of jars containing the preserved bodies of diseased mice, bats and other various animal parts. For Jack, he couldn’t stop himself from slowly following the customer into the small room, but still did his best to keep his distance, mostly out of respect if anything else. He didn’t want to come of as a creep, so he did his best to be as polite as possible.

“Um, I’m sorry to bother you, but I think I might have saw you yesterday.” Jack said in a quiet, but curious voice. “I saw someone window shopping yesterday and he had a hairstyle that looked a lot like yours and I just figured…”

The customer said nothing at first, Jack could feel his blood begin to cool when the other man’s brows furrowed, giving Jack an accusatory look. “Why do you ask?”

Jack bit his lip gently. Shit! Jack thought, now he pissed him off! Nervous, the Irishman tried to spit out an apology but was quickly cut off when the mystery man surprised him with a rather joyful chuckle.

“Naw don't worry, I’m just messing with you,” The man spoke in a mellow, relaxed tone. “But yeah, you got me. Sorry if it looked like I was creeping on you yesterday, I’m not exactly the most outgoing person in the world when I’m caught off guard.”

Jack only giggled, mostly out of relief if anything. “Oh no it’s fine! Trust I think we’ve all been there at one point, like you would just be relaxing somewhere and then you make awkward eye contact with someone and it’s like ‘uugh what do I do?!’ hehe!”

“Oh God, don’t I know the feeling.” The other man said with a laugh, making Jack feel more comfortable and relaxed.

The customer opened his mouth to speak, but paused when something on the shelf of preserved animal parts caught his eye, his lips curling into an amused smile. Reaching an arm out, he carefully picked up what had to be the most bizarre if not the most disgusting object in the whole shop. It was a pale, fatty tumor the size of a baseball, floating in a tightly sealed glass jar surrounded by clear fluids.

The man turned to Jack and gave him a hint of a grin. “This thing didn’t come out of you, did it?”

“Oh God no!” Jack exclaimed. “That thing actually came from a dog, hehe. It was donated to me by a friend of mine, he’s a veterinarian and I guess he thought a thing like that would fit in with the shop and well, he wasn’t wrong.” Jack let out another small chuckle, as did the customer. “I, uh...it’s on sale though if you're interested!”

“Heh, well I am interested, I think I will get it.” The olive skinned man said as he observed the jar in his hand with morbid amusement. “I think I could get a good laugh out of showing this off to some friends I know. Though I’m not sure how Chica would feel about it?”

“Chica?” Jack asked curiously.

“She’s my dog.” He answered as he put the jar down to take out the phone in his pocket. “I don’t suppose you would mind if I showered you with pictures of her would you?”

Jack smiled. “Not. At. All.”

After a brief scroll through his phone, the customer turned the screen over to Jack, showing the shop owner a picture of a golden retriever with round dark eyes and fur so pale that it looked almost white. She was such a happy and fluffy little thing, Jack couldn’t help himself but to let out a loud awe.

“Oh my God, she’s so cute!” Jack practically cooed, he had a weakness for dogs. That much was clear to anyone who knew him well and he had no intention to hide that fact. “Aww how old is she?”

The man couldn’t help but smile with pride as he watched the shop owner stare at the picture with pure adoration. “She just turned two a few days ago.” He answered as he flicked to another picture of Chica, this time with a bone shaped chew toy in her mouth. “She’s my little angel and I love her to pieces.”

“Aww I can see why, I love her to pieces now too.” Jack said with a soft chuckle and a sigh. “I love dogs, always did. If I wasn’t so busy with the shop all the time I would get one in a heartbeat, but alas.”

The customer gave Jack a sympathetic smile. “I understand what you mean, but If it helps well...I’m not sure if you allow dogs here, but maybe next time I could bring her over to the shop.” He said as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “I mean, if that’s okay with you of course, I don’t know what your policy on dogs are so-”

“Of course it’s okay!” Jack said quickly, perhaps a little too quickly then he wanted too. “I mean…the shop is very dog friendly, so you could bring her over anytime.” He said in a more calmer tone. The last thing Jack wanted was to come off as desperate. “Plus, it would be nice to have you come back...uh…”

“You can call me Mark.”

“Mark, right!” Jack said with a nod. Mark, it was such a common name, but Jack didn’t mind. It was still nice nonetheless and it seemed to fit the customer in a way that Jack couldn’t exactly explain. Jack liked Mark, he honestly did. “I’m Sean by the way, but everyone calls me Jack.”

“Jack huh? It suits you.”

The Irishman bit his lip gently to hold back a chuckle. “You think so?”

“Of course I do, it’s a cute name for a cute guy. Hell, both names are cute so that just double the cuteness.”

Jack erupted into a small fit of laughter, he always erupted into a fit of small chuckles and giggles whenever he was complimented. It was mostly a nervous tick if anything, to cover up whatever bashfulness he might feel. Normally it helped, and yet he could still feel his cheeks heating up ever so slightly from a compliment that wasn’t even suggestive in the slightest. Mark thought his name was cute and it was making him feel giddy. It was so dumb to feel that way, and God was it unprofessional, but he couldn’t help himself and he quite frankly didn’t care.

“Oh God, are you seriously flirtin’ with me right now?”

“That really depends, am I coming off as a creep?”

“Hmmm nope, not really!”

Mark smiled. “Then yes, yes I am.”

Jack began to laugh again, and rubbed the back of his neck gently. Another nervous tick of his whenever he got too flustered. “You know, if I didn’t know better, I would think that you really came here to get my number or somethin’.”

“Well...you're not entirely wrong.”

Jack at that moment was quite thankful that he didn’t have anything in his hands, or at the very least eating or drinking something. Had that been the case he most certainly would have dropped what he was holding or spit it out whatever he would have been drinking. Jack could feel his smile began to falter slightly, mostly out of disbelief if anything else. He then quickly forced himself to chuckle.

“Heh you're just busting my balls now.”

“No, I’m honest to God not.” Mark paused then, as though he needed a moment to think about what to say. “I...when I saw you through the window yesterday, part of me wanted to go and talk to you, but my anxiety had other ideas. Like I said, I’m not the best when i’m caught off guard. I hope this doesn’t make you feel unsettled in anyway, but now that I finally got a chance to talk to you, I think I honest to God would never forgive myself if I left here without asking for your number.”

Jack’s mouth opened slightly, as though he were trying to speak but the words couldn't slip out of his mouth even if he wanted them too. Did Jack hear him right? Was this really happening? Hell, Jack had hoped for a second chance to reach out to this man anyway, so why was he so surprised? Maybe this Mark was a mind reader or something, Jack sure as hell didn’t know. Nonetheless, he was really grateful. In fact if he was a religious man he would be on his knees thanking God right now.

“Well then, who am I to deny you such a request, eh?” Jack said with a small coy smile.

Mark of coarse smiled back, it was a clear indication to him that they both had the same thing on there minds and after a few more minutes of communication Mark had Jack’s number in his contacts and even sent the Irishman a text. Jack officially had the ‘mystery man’s’ number, and he was more than thrilled. Granted, he accidentally left his phone home due to being in such a rush to get to work, but it was still in his phone through text and Jack had plans to put that number into his contacts the second he got home.

“Well I think I feel very accomplished today,” Mark said as reached out to grab hold of the dog tumor once again. “that and I think I’m ready to make a purchase.”

“Oh no please, it’s on the house.” Jack wanted to be generous, after all they did exchange numbers, that alone was more than enough for a dog tumor. Mark however shook his head at this.

“Nonsense!” He said. “I can’t just get this for nothing, besides you have business to run and your more then welcome to make up for it say...Saturday at seven thirty? Just tell me where you wanna go and I’ll make it happen.”

Jack started to chuckle again to hide his bashfulness. He could already tell that this man was going to be the death of him, but in a very good way nonetheless.

“Well if you say so,” Jack said in mock defeat. “Here, follow me and I’ll ring you up!”

With that, Jack lead Make to the counter where he proceeded to scan the price of the tumor from the small tag on the jar. $45 was it’s price, it seemed reasonable enough, after all it did come from a living creature, a dog to be specific. Maybe he should cut the price in half, that’s the least Jack could do. Mark may be insistent on paying, but that doesn't mean he has to pay full price.

“Is that the new Fischbach book?” Mark asked as he gestured to the paperback copy of Contract on the counter. Jack couldn’t help himself but to roll his eyes, he thought he put that thing away behind the counter. He wouldn’t be surprised if Mark was a Fischbach fan, nearly everyone nowadays was a Fischbach fan. So the Irishman was prepared to deal with the idol worshiping that came with talking about the one author that Jack cared very little about. He just hoped it didn’t put a hinder on their date for Saturday. That’s all Jack needed; for them break up in time span of thirty minutes or less over some celebrity book writer.

“Yeah, it is.” Jack said plainly as he grabbed the book and tossed it under the small shelf under the desk. “It’s actually my friend’s book. Her and her husband are big fans of him and she wanted me to read it. Well more like she forced me to read it. I’m only up to chapter three, and I hate myself for liking it.”

Jack was so focused on scanning the dog tumor’s price into the register that he didn’t notice the curious way Mark slowly tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. “Heh, I take it you're not a fan huh?”

Jack could feel a ramble about to happen, and he was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t really seem to care. “Well, it’s not that I hate him as a writer, he’s a good writer and all. It’s just that the way everyone praised him and everything can be overbearing at times you know? Like, if I’m going to be honest with you, I think M.E. Fischbach is kinda overrated.”

This wasn’t the first time the Irishman told people about his opinion on M.E. Fischbach. Some people were understandable, others would be annoyed, and he even had a few who would even try to get all up in his face about it. What Jack didn’t expect was to have himself nearly jump out of his skin when red haired man on the other side of the counter threw his head back and erupted into a roaring fit of laughter. Jack couldn’t help but give Mark a flustered look, how was he suppose to respond to that? Was he laughing at him? With him? Jack didn’t know, and he was too embarrassed asked.

“I-I’m sorry, it’s just…Oh God!” Mark took a breath to calm himself. “That’s just amazing!”

“What is?” Jack asked, giving Mark an almost accusatory look.

“Nothing it’s just I think I have a good feeling about you and no that’s not sarcasm, I promise.” Jack furrowed his brows at this, he wanted to speak, but Mark had quickly pulled out a small leather wallet his other pocket before the Irishman could utter out a single word. “So how much do I owe you?”

“U-uh, just twenty-two dollars.”

Mark let out a few more chuckles before pulling out a twenty and a five from his wallet. Jack took the cash and opened his register, placing the money in their proper sections within the register while also handing Mark the three dollars of change that he owed him in return. For Jack he was simply going through the same motions as he always did whenever dealing with a customer. Scanning an purchased item, taking out change, putting it inside a small plastic bag, yet on the inside he was screaming. Why does Mark think he has a good feeling about him? Does he not care about this Fischbach guy too? Is that why he laughed at him like that? Is he going to give him crap for it when they officially start dating? Maybe Mark was having second thoughts? Jack hoped that wasn’t the case, but now was not the time to panic about that. He had to be positive, first and foremost.

“Here you go, ‘Sir’,” Jack said in his usual polite voice before handing Mark the tightly wrapped bag containing the jar inside. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!”

Mark only smiled and took his purchased item from Jack’s offering hand. “Thanks Jack, same goes to you too. I’ll text you again later tonight when I’m free.”

Weirdly enough, Jack started to feel himself relax a bit by those words. “You still going to let me pick any restaurant of my choosing on Saturday?”

“You know it, babe.”

Jack erupted into a small fit of laughter, God he really needed to stop doing that every time Mark opened his mouth like that. So after Jack kindly asking Mark to leave before he made him l die right there on the spot, the two men said their goodbyes and Jack watched as the other man left the store with the bag containing the newly purchased tumor. For the most part, Jack felt pretty dame happy and for first time in a while he couldn’t wait to get home. He hated himself for leaving it at home, but it was what it was and Jack still had a couple of more hours to go through before he could close shop for the day.

Normally he would go back to reading his book now that things were slow, but instead Jack found himself being more comfortable with daydreaming about Mark and what the man would look like in a Plague Doctor costume.


	3. The Text Message

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow thanks again for the positive response for this story! I'm really happy you all enjoy it so far! Thanks for all the kudos and comments It really means a lot <3

Jack locked the door of his downtown Burbank apartment behind him and plopped himself onto the large coffee colored couch in the living room, tossing his keys and the hot McDonalds bag onto the glass coffee table in front of him. After the events that unfolded today, Jack felt as though he deserved to treat himself to a nice fast food dinner and in this case it was a quarter pounder with large fries and a diet Coke. However, before he could allow himself to dig into his meal, Jack quickly reminded himself that there was still something that he needed to take care of regarding Mark and his phone number. Hopping back onto his feet, Jack hurried to his bedroom and there on his small bookshelf by his bed was his cell phone still plugged into it’s charger from where he left it the night before. Jack couldn’t help but mentally kick himself for this, how could he forget his phone like that?

Yanking the charger out, he turned his phone on and sat himself back down on the couch in the living room to scroll through his messages. Eleven email notifications, a missed call from his brother Malcolm, and a text message that Jack knew was from Mark himself.

_Hey cutie what’s up? ;)_

Jack giggled in amusement at the text, Mark was going to be the death of him wasn’t he? Smiling, he quickly added the number into his contacts and gave it the name of ‘Markimoo’ as a means of keeping up his tradition of giving his friends and family weird nicknames on his phone contacts. Satisfied, the Irishman wasted no time in typing up a response to the once unknown number which was now forever named ‘Markimoo’.

_Jack-A-Booper: Not much, what about you big boy?_

After sending the text, Jack couldn’t help but bit his lip. Was that a little too suggestive? Maybe, though he was sure that Mark would just find it funny if anything. Still, Jack quickly followed the text up with an ‘lol’ just to be on the safe side. With that taken cared of, Jack knew that it was finally dinner time as the smell of McDonalds started to make his mouth water. Jack knew that he needed to respond to the other messages that he received on his phone once he was done eating. Still the most he could do was look through his phone as he took a large bite out of his burger. The first thing he did was text his brother to apologies for missing his call because of work, he loved Malcolm but it didn’t help that he had to call him in such odd hours of the day. Then again the time difference definitely didn’t help all that much neither.

Jack’s phone then vibrated in his hand, he couldn’t help but make a soft, but surprised noise when he realized it was from Mark.

_Markimoo: Nm neither just relaxing with chika. On that note, I still owe you a dinner of your choosing on saturday._

Jack took a moment to think, that’s when he remembered a ramen restaurant that he went to for Suzy’s birthday. It was a really nice place with an large outdoor fire pit and if memory served the ramen was some of the best he ever had. Taking another bite from his burger, he put his food down and proceeded to respond to the text presented to him.

_Jack-A-Booper: Lol yes! Have you ever heard of a place called jinya? It’s a ramen place, does that sound yummy to you?_

Mark’s response was fast and quick.

_Markimoo: omg I LOVE that place! Consider it done! You still up for 7:30 or do you wanna push it to 8?_

_Jack-A-Booper: I’m still good for 7:30 I close up shop an hour early on the weekends so it's perfect._

_Markimoo: Saturday at 7:30 it is then, consider it done! Gonna call them right now if you don’t mind :P_

Another giggle escaped from Jack’s lips.

_Jack-A-Booper: Not at all dear :3_

Jack had just finished the last of his dinner by the time Mark texted him back. Though the Irishman didn’t even notice the text until he cleaned up his mess and crashed himself back onto his couch with a flop.

_Markimoo: Reservations at jinya are officially confirmed, can’t wait to see you on Saturday!_

Well that was certainly fast, Jack thought to himself, but didn’t press it any further. In fact it just added onto the list of how wonderful the day was going.

_Jack-A-Booper: Yay! Can’t wait to see you too! :)_

Giggling with delight, Jack then grabbed the remote from the coffee table and turned on the TV to indulge in some cartoons as he so desperately needed to catch up on Rick and Morty. He found it all the more dandy too considering that Jack could see the black ominous building that was Cartoon Network studios from his apartment. Jack knew that he should be doing something a little more productive. He knew that he had an extra room which he turned into his personal taxidermy shop after his last roommate had moved out to live closer to his girlfriend five years ago and that he should be working on something. Yet Jack was so happy and in such a good mood that he felt like holding it off just for tonight so he could give in and treat himself to a little television and relaxation.

All was well in the world, and Jack felt like nothing could possibly spoil his good mood. He knew he had to tell someone and his mind instantly went to Suzy. Jack knew that she would find the news all too amusing. Biting his lip gently to hold back a grin, he briefly scrolled through his old messages till he reached ‘Silly Suzy Goose’.

_Jack-A-Booper: Hey suzy! your not gonna believe what happened to me today._

She responded no less than a minute later. Jack knew she would, as she didn’t really go to bed till nine on the weekdays.

_Silly Suzy Goose: Ooh something good or something bad??_

_Jack-A-Booper: Something good, i’m going on a hot date on saturday :)_

Suzy wasted little to no time in responding with her next text.

_Silly Suzy Goose: Holy shit really?! How? When!? I need to know!_

_Jack-A-Booper: His name is Mark, he was this customer that came in earlier. We just started chatting and then he asked me for my number and now were having dinner at that ramen place on saturday, the one with the firepit remember?_

_Silly Suzy Goose: Ha! That’s so great! XD I’m really happy to hear it. Hell i’m like surprised to see you dating someone._

It came out of nowhere, but there was an acute feeling of excitement and nervousness that began to bubble deep inside Jack’s belly when he was done reading the text. It wasn’t because of anything Suzy had wrote in her text, but it just reminded him how rusty he was when it came to dating. Jack hadn’t been in a serious relationship since college and since moving to California never had the chance to go back out into the dating world. Still, Jack did his best to not let this bother him.

_Jack-A-Booper: hard to imagine right? Lol I’m open to the idea of dating it’s just something i’ve never went out of my way to do. I’m happy this happened though, like I wish you had been there you and arin would have loved him too._

_Silly Suzy Goose: I know what you mean jack, like can be busy like that and I get it. But, yeah! I wish we had, what’s he like?_

_Jack-A-Booper: He’s really sweet. Very mellow and easy to talk to. He even has the cutest labrador puppy in the world. Oh and remember that dog tumor I had for a while? He actually bought it, how wild is that?_

_Silly Suzy Goose: Hahahaha nice!_

_Jack-A-Booper: Hehe yeah! Oh did I mention he’s hot af too? Like i think he’s older, but not too old and he's got this great body and this ruffled hair with red streaks in it. It’s really cute! But the best is his voice, it’s SO deep and sexy oh it;s hard to describe._

_Jack-A-Booper: I’m rambling, haha sorry about that. Anywho! How was your day? How’s Arin doing_

_Silly Suzy Goose: Oh stop it you're not rambling! Besides I’m not gonna lie, he does sound like a catch i’m so happy for you haha. As for me everythings good! Arins good too! Pff he’s already talking about halloween you know._

Jack snickered, of course Arin would be talking about Halloween already despite the fact that it was barely even September yet. Arin was Suzy’s husband and worked as an animator. Every year the couple threw an annual Halloween party that always managed to top itself every year. Jack always looked forward to Suzy and Arin’s Halloween parties, but it was still at least a full two months away. At least Suzy worked at the Halloween store that was just a block away from Jack’s shop. The Irishman knew that that would be enough to hold him off till October rolled in.

_Jack-A-Booper: Haha that’s awesome i’m excited for halloween too! Any ideas what your gonna do for the party?_

_Silly Suzy Goose: That my friend is strictly confidential till October. Speaking of spooky junk I heard that m.e. fischbach was in the Burbank area and I had no idea! I must have just miss him._

Jack rolled his eyes, again with this M.E. Fischbach guy? Still, he knew better then to be rude, Suzy and many others liked this guy and he will put up with them talking about him even if it killed him.

_Jack-A-Booper: Oh God! Idk what i would have done if I ran into him. Who knows maybe u saw him and you didn’t realized._

_Silly Suzy Goose: u probably would have just ignored him knowing you lol. And believe me I would have noticed, he has a very distinct look to him._

_Silly Suzy Goose: eh maybe it was for the best, I would have made a complete ass of myself I bet._

_Jack-A-Booper: Oh and shut up no u wouldn’t have! Your the most easy going person I know, u would have hit it off great._

That’s when something finally dawned on Jack. If this writer was indeed in the area, was it possible that he might have ran into this Fischbach guy without realizing? It was possible, hell Jack had no idea what the guy looked like and he wouldn’t be surprised if the man actually did walk into his store to purchase something. While Jack couldn’t have cared in the slightest if such a thing happen, it still would have been worth talking about as a laugh. Against his best interest, Jack finally decided to look the man up on his phone. After all, if by some miracle the guy did walk into his shop, Suzy’s reaction was going to be absolutely priceless.

Yet what he saw nearly made him choke spit out his soda. It took him a while for his brain to process what it was he was looking at, but when it finally sank in he thought it all to be some cruel sick joke. That what he was looking at was so outlandish and insane that it couldn’t possibly be real. There, on his phone in the image searches for M.E. Fischbach was a black and white picture of Mark sitting on a desk with a cigarette in between his fingers. His expression was plane and aloof and while his hair lacked the red streaks that Jack saw him with earlier, he knew that it was still the same black hair that Mark had. Same black hair, same strong jaw, same stupid handsome face. M.E. Fischbach was Mark, Jack was going on a date with Mark on Saturday. Which meant that he was going on a date with M.E. Fischbach.

Jack was going on a date with M.E. Fischbach.

Now he finally understood why Mark was laughing at him like he did when he made that remark about M.E. Fishbach being ‘overrated.’ Why would Mark still want to go out with him after that? Hell why would this man even want to date Jack in the first place?! Does Mark think he’s just some casual fanboy who’s waiting to get his rocks off? If so then why didn't he tell Jack who he really was? Was Mark trying to take advantage of him? Was this all just a sick game to him? Jack didn’t know and the more he thought about it, the more sick his stomach felt. Why did this sort of thing have to happen to him of all people?! Just moments ago he felt the happiest he's ever been since moving to California, hell he was practically gushing to Suzy over how excited he was to be dating for the first time in God knows how long. How could all those positive feelings of happiness and excitement turn to nothing but pure and utter stress in a matter of seconds? M.E. 'motherfucking' Fischbach was probably just doing this as a fucking joke, Jack thought bitterly, probably just to brag to God knows who about some passive aggressive 'fan' just to prove some fucking point.

_"Oh don't worry, I know how these fans are, I'll have him on his hands and knees in less then a day or two, you'll see!"_

Jack wanted to throw up.

Running a shaky hand through his hair, Jack quickly closed out of the picture and curled himself up on the couch. He didn't even bother to read the text messages that Suzy sent back to him, but instead forced himself to write up a response to end the conversation.

_Jack-A-Booper: Hey I think I'm gonna turn my phone off to charge, I'll talk to u in a bit okay? Have a good night!_

He didn’t wait for Suzy to respond, after his message was sent he quickly turned his phone off and tossed it at the end of his couch. He felt bad for doing this, but he felt so sick and disoriented that he couldn't bring himself to use his phone at the time being. He knew that he would have to tell Suzy about it eventually, but not now, definitely not now! Jack knew that he should be calling Mark and demand an explanation about all this, but he couldn't even bring himself to do that neither. Jack felt too sick, too disoriented, was he having a panic attack? No, it wasn't that yet. A nervous breakdown perhaps? Yeah that made more sense, even still Jack knew that he needed to calm down. No more panic attacks, no more negativity, it wasn't healthy.

Jack needed to stay positive, but it was so hard for him to do so.

Even if he did call Mark, what the hell was he going to say to him? How would Mark respond? Would Jack end up freaking the fuck out on the phone to the point where he couldn’t control himself? Jack sure as hell didn't know and he really didn’t want too. All he could do is sit there and wait till the shock and anxiety wore off.

Taking a deep breath, Jack turned his attention to the TV to let his mind drift. It was hard to do, but after a few hours his stomach didn’t feel quite as nauseous as it did before.


	4. The Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY! It's updated, this story is so much easier to write for so i'm not sure why it took so long, sorry everyone! Anywho, enjoy!

The dark sky was clear of any clouds, the wind was reduced to that of a small breeze. The city below was active and full with the usual crowd of locals and visitors that came out to enjoy the weekend for all that it’s luxuries were worth before Monday showed it’s ugly head to bring everyone back to that five day period of reality once more. Slowly walked towards the restaurant at the end of the block from the spot that the Uber driver had dropped him off at Jack was no different to any of the other locals on the street that seeked out company and fun.

It was a surprisingly crisp night in Burbank, but a lovely one nonetheless. Still Jack was thankful that he was able to dress appropriately for not just the occasion, but also for the cool air that surrounded him; tight dark blue jeans, a grey turtleneck, and a back buttoned up coat that was just barely long enough to go past his knees. If anything he looked like one of those typical hipsters that he would normally see on the front of magazines and the black rimmed glasses that he usually wore certainly didn’t help. Still, Jack was satisfied with how he looked for the evening, if there was anything worth looking for to for the evening it was that at least he was given the opportunity to dress somewhat more nicely than what he was used too.

The days leading up to Saturday have been nothing short of a nightmare for Jack, and his anxiety didn’t help in making things better. He found it almost depressing on how just minutes before the whole M.E. Fischbach fiasco that Jack couldn’t wait for Saturday to come sooner, only to have him to wish for the night to end as soon as possible. Sleeping was an issue, and he couldn’t even bring himself to say anything to Mark about it beforehand because he had no fucking clue what to say. In fact, after finding out about Mark’s true identity Jack heavily considered canceling the date, but ultimately decided against it. Despite the situation Jack really didn’t want to come off as rude, instead he decided to go through with the date and to politely tell Mark that he could only see themselves as friends. Hopefully, Mark would lose interest and the both of them will ultimately go their separate ways. All Jack had to do was get through the night and put it behind him once it was over, simple as that.

At least he could treat himself to a nice meal once everything was said and done.

Once Jack arrived at the restaurant, it was hard for him to ignore the large black marble fire pit perched outside besides the restaurant. And there, amongst the diners that sat around the large pit like a giant dining table, was  none other than Jack’s date. Mr. Fischbach himself dressed in that same black buttoned up shirt that he wore in that same black and white photo that Jack found him in when he looked him up that night. His elbows were perched on the black marble table, his chin resting upon folded hands as he stared intently into the fire. Jack couldn’t tell if the man was in deep thought or just simply spacing out, but there was a certain intensity in the stair that gave Jack a slight shiver of nervousness up his spine. Whatever the reason, the writer didn't notice Jack at first and for a split second, he almost thought about turning around and leaving. Yet any hope of that had vanished the second Mark tilted his head up from the fire and noticed the young store owner standing by the small open gate separating the outdoor patio and fire-pit and the sidewalk.

Mark smiled and gave him a small wave and Jack felt himself smile back on instinct. There was no turning back now, taking in a deep breath, Jack made his way towards the fire pit where Mark was very obviously waiting for him.

“Hey, long time no see.”

Jack hated how titillating the other man’s voice was, it just made it harder for him to dislike him.

“Heh yeah, too long in fact…” Jack forced himself to smile, trying his best to look as presentable as possible as he took a seat beside the man in black. “It’s nice to see you again, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

“Oh not at all! I actually just got here a few minutes ago, so don’t worry.” Mark said with a smile that just oozed with charm. “And may I just say that you look beyond handsome this evening, why you’re gonna make me look ugly in comparison.”

Jack couldn’t stop himself from suppressing that same giddy laugh he always did whenever he was complimented in such a way. “Hehe oh shut up, you’re the one who’s handsome here, I’m just a weird Irish boy with green hair.”

“A sexy Irish boy with green hair.”

Another fit of laughter escaped Jack’s lips again and God did he hate it. Jack knew that he wasn’t suppose to be enjoying this, he needed to be on his guard and go through the motions til the night was over. It was becoming very clear to him that mark wasn’t going to make this easy for him. “Alright, alright you win! I’m the most handsome thing on this side of Burbank!” Jack said in mock defeat before grabbing a menu. “Just give me a minute to think straight, so I can figure out what to order okay?”

“I can’t vouch to that, sure.”

Jack gave the menu a brief look, though he already knew what he was going to order. Still, it didn’t take long before the two men were approached by a young waitress who was ready to take both their orders. Jack of course asked for a bowl of the spicy chicken ramen with a glass of red wine, feeling all the more grateful that he decided take an Uber for the night. Mark ordered his ‘usual’ which was the tonkatsu black ramen and while he didn’t order any drinks, he made up for it with an order of takoyaki for him and Jack to share for an appetizer. Once the orders were placed and the waitress had left, the two were once again alone.

“So!” Mark finally spoke, breaking the silence. “What have you been up too since our last encounter?”

“Oh you know, work as usual.” Jack said with a shrug. “I just feel bad because I’ve been so busy that I never got a chance to sit down and do some taxidermy work, but I can’t really complain.”

“You do taxidermy?”

“Hehe, yeah! It’s...really just a hobby of mine, well a hobby that kinda pays?” Jack rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I mean, you remember those stuffed animals in the shop? Well, a lot of them are mine believe it or not.”

Mark quirked an eyebrow at this, obvious impressed. “Really now? Heh, well I gotta admit that’s really impressive.”

“Oh it’s not that great, really.”

“Nonsense, of course it is! Most people I know would kill to have a talent like that.” Mark asserted, which made Jack smile a bit.

“Heh, most people you know would like to stuff dead animals for a living?”

“Oh you’d be surprised with some of the people I know, if not slightly weirded out.”

Jack couldn’t help but chuckle at this. “I run a store that sells stuffed animals and antique mortuary supplies, I don’t think there is much that can weird me out at this point.”

“Heh, true, but I still like to give a heads up whenever I can. Better to be safe than sorry, you know?”

“Well I can’t hold that against you I suppose.” Jack answered, feeling a bit more relaxed than he did earlier. “So what about you? How’s your week been?”

“Oh nothing too exciting, if I’m to be honest.” Mark said in a faintly tired voice. “Just been making drafts and lurking around the area with Chika.”

Jack bit the inside of his lip nervously. “Drafts?”

“Why yes!” Mark answered with a sly smirk on his lips. “It’s for this book I’m writing, but it’s nothing too special, at least not yet.”

Jack was quiet for a moment, trying to find the right words to say. Did Mark know that Jack knew who he was now or was this all just part of a sick game? Jack reached for his glass of wine and took a slow sip from his glass. “That’s pretty neat! I wish I had the patience to write, but alas,” he said with a forced chuckle. Trying his best to not come off as a nervous wreck. “So what’s it about?”

“Heh, well I’d tell you, but I’m trying to keep things as classified as possible, though let’s just say it has something to do with a shop and it’s owner.”

Jack couldn’t help but quirk and eyebrow at this. “This story wouldn’t have anything to do with me wouldn’t it?”

Mark only chuckled. “Hey now, I said it had to do with a shop and it’s owner, I didn’t say anything specific mind you.”

“Heh, seems a little bit of a coincidence don’t you think?”

“Perhaps, but then again life is always full of coincidences, is it not?” Mark said with a small flick of his wrist. “Besides, if I were to write a story about you and your store it would have an entirely different plot.”

“Oh would it now?”

“Absolutely, for instance...that shop would have a mind of it’s own, is it possessed by a demon? A ghost? There is no clear answer, what is clear though is that the store is very fond of it’s owner. It loves it’s owner, it loves to see it’s owner happy so it doesn't mind the customers that come in. Then low and behold, it notices that it’s owner is getting a little too close to this one particular customer.” Mark explained as he reached a hand out to gently brush a strand of hair from Jack’s face and sliding his fingers down the curve of his cheek. The movement was enough to make Jack shudder.

“It’s store is jealous, it’s angry, it wants the owner for for itself, but it does not know what to do.” Mark continues. “It’s only a matter of time before it’s possessiveness begins to take it’s tole, customers start disappearing, the owner is in danger and it’s only a matter of time before everything comes crashing down.” Mark smiled then and leaned back into his chair.

“Of course, this is only if I were to write a story about you and your store, which I’m not so you have nothing to worry about.”

Jack let out a nervous chuckle. “Heh sounds like something M.E. Fischbach would write to be honest,” he was tired of playing around, so he decided to end it. “But I think you’d probably know a lot about that do you?”

Mark was quiet, his lips slowly curling into a wide, toothy grin. “Hehe well you’re not wrong, though I’m happy to hear you like it. For a moment I thought you would have found it overrate.”

Jack frowned at this, his cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. “I-I’m really sorry about that, I mean...I honestly didn’t know it was you a-and it’s not that I hate your work it’s just- ”

“Hey it’s alright, I’m not angry” Mark said reassuringly. “My work isn't for everyone, I get that. Besides, between you and me, I think I’m kinda overrated too.”

Jack chuckled at this, relieved that Mark wasn't angry at him, but only to be filled with a feeling of uncertainty. Jack knows who Mark is now and the writer was very much aware that he did. Yet Mark was so quick to brush this off as a small joke, meanwhile the whole situation had been stressing him out since the day he found out about it. Maybe Jack should have confronted Mark about it sooner to make things feel less strange, no that's what he should have done.

What the hell does Mark think of him now?

“Hey, is everything okay?”

Jack snapped out of his train of thought, he really needed to work on his poker face.

“I...no, I'm fine, I just…” Jack bit his lip gently, his gaze lowering itself away from Mark’s stare. “When I found out about who you were I got scared. I mean, I called you overrated and you still wanted to go out with me and then I find out you’re ‘said’ writer and...and I thought that you were pulling some kind of joke on me. I mean I almost canceled the date over this, but I panicked and I didn't want to come off as being some asshole and I should have said something earlier, but I didn't know what to say and…”

Jack paused for a moment to calm himself. “I’m sorry, I'm rambling. That tends to happen when I feel stressed.”

Mark gave him a soft, understanding look. “Hey no it's okay, I didn’t mean to stress you out like that and I feel bad for doing so. Don’t think that I’m doing this because I want to take advantage of you or anything. I asked you out for two reasons. One, being that you have to be the most handsome thing I’ve ever laid eyes on and two, I really want to know more about you.” The writer then reached a hand out and put it over Jack’s, giving the younger man an acute, warm feeling in his chest. “I’m sorry if I made you feel otherwise. Had I known you would be stressed out about it I would have said something sooner and I’m really sorry for it.”

Jack felt his face turn a light shade of pink from the compliments. He didn’t know why he was so easily flustered, but it as something completely out of his control. Yet, deep down he mostly felt touched if anything. “That...really makes me feel a lot better, thank you.” His eyes finally bet Mark’s, his mind feeling much more at ease than before. “Heh, I don’t know why I was so scared to bring this up sooner, I feel so dumb.”

“Aw don’t say that, it’s not like I said anything about it neither.” Mark smiled at him sweetly. “Besides, I’ve been told that I have a way of intimidating people.”

“Intimidating? I can’t imagine why,” Both men shared a chuckle at this. “Well, I’m glad that we were able to talk about it at least, I’m just glad you’re not put off by me.”

“Aw I could never be put off by you,” Mark said. “Plus, I guess this just means I’m gonna have to ask you out again to make up for a few things.”

Jack couldn’t help but blink at this. “You’d...really like to go out with me again?”

“Of course I would!” Mark said with that same asserting voice from when he visited the store. “I’d be a moron if I didn’t. Like I said I’d really love to know more about you, but this is only if you’ll allow me of coarse. No more secrets or cruel teasing, I promise.”

Jack thought about this for a moment, he knew that it went against his original plan of wanting to cut ties with the writer after the first date. Yet, he wasn’t sure if he really wanted to do that anymore. After discussing about the situation, Jack felt a bit more comfortable around Mark and the guy really knew how to make him feel wanted. Jack knew that it was stupid of him to continue this ‘thing’ between them, but he couldn’t help it and while he would never admit it, he wanted to know more about Mark too.

“I’d like that a lot actually,” Jack finally answered, “but I just have one condition if that’s okay.”

“Name it.”

“I... kinda want to keep things private for now. Like I know if I told my friends we were dating they would freak the fuck out and I’m really not good with dealing with that kind of attention.”

Mark nodded in agreement to this. “I understand and I’m completely okay with that. Between you and me, I’d like things to be more quiet till things between us get more comfortable.”

“Yeah, sounds good to me.”

Jack smiled as he spoke, feeling content once more. The whole thing still felt like something out of a sitcom, but Jack wasn’t as hung up about it as he was a few nights ago. Yes, he was dating M.E. Fischbach, the very same writer that Jack never really gave a dame for, but he was able to see Mark beyond that. In fact, it was enough for Jack to accept Mark’s offer to go out together again and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that perhaps things between them won’t be so bad after all.


	5. The Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow holy crap! I can't relive how many of you guys love this story so far! Like seriously I don't know what to say! THANK YOU! :'3
> 
> I know I should ahve updated WIBG first, but this story is more easy to write for, so yeah. 
> 
> Anywho, enjoy!

“I have a friend who studies bats in South America and he donates them to me once they die.” Jack explained to a customer as she examined one of the many tiny bats that were stuffed and presented in frame hanging upon the walls. “Like they would usually pass away on their own and fall on the floors of the caves.”

“And so your friend would just scoop them up from there, I’m guessing?” The customer asked as she looked over at the displayed bats once more. She was an older woman, no younger than forty who Jack recognized as being a local.

Jack nodded at this. “Yep! That’s pretty much the jist of it.”

“Well I have to say that’s really neat.” The  woman said. “I gotta say, the Ghost Bat looks really cute, I think I’d like to purchase that one.”

Jack couldn’t help but smile. “Sure! Let me just get that off the wall for you and ring it up! Wait right here.”

Walking over to the back of his counter, Jack pulled out his small two stepped ladder and hurried over to where to woman was waiting for him. It had been the second that day where Jack had to use his ladder to retrieve an item from high up the wall. It was days that this where he wished that he wasn’t so short, or at the very least it made him wish that he didn’t put these displays up so high on the wall. Still, Jack was willing to with with what he had, and he would be lying if he didn’t say that his ladder almost acted as his number one assistant throughout the store. Once the Ghost Bat display was retrieved, Jack lead the woman to the counter where she paid for the framed bat with her credit card.Jack in returned placed the item in a paper bag and handed it to the customer, wishing her a good day and she made her way towards the door.

Once the woman was gone, Jack found himself alone once again. In a way he was almost grateful because it gave him an opportunity to continue his reading. Yet when he took the book from under the counter, he couldn’t bring himself to open it right away. Instead Jack found himself almost lost in thought as he stared at the name of the author that was plastered on the book in smooth white letters. It was still very surreal to Jack that he was dating the man who had wrote the very book that Jack was holding in his hands. It was still incredible to him how just days ago Jack was indifferent and nearly passive aggressive towards said man only to find himself dating him just a few days ago. After talking things over, the rest of the evening was peaceful and enjoyable. Jack was able to open up to Mark about how he made the big leap from Ireland to California. How when he first moved to Burbank he started off as a manager at Mythos before finally buying the store once the original owner finally decided to retire. In return Mark was able to talk about how he started out as a freelance journalist from Ohio to a Master of Horror. How his first book, Alex almost never got finished if it weren't for a loved one that encouraged him to complete it.

_“She really saved me for that, if it wasn’t for her I don’t think I’d be where I am now.”_

_“That’s great, to hear! I bet she must be proud of you.”_

_“Yeah, she was.”_

There was a certain tone sorrow in Mark’s voice that left as soon as Jack sensed it, the younger man took it as a que to not push the subject any further and instead talk about the history of the Ouija board. Jack knew that Make wasn’t going to tell him everything on the first date and vice versa, yet he was perfectly fine with that. If anything Jack made a rule to himself to not look up anything about M.E. Fischbach online, he wanted this relationship to be special and genuine. The last thing he wanted to do was to ruin it by looking things up on the guy and Jack was almost certain that Mark wanted the same thing as well.

When dinner was over the two men walked out onto the sidewalk to say their goodbyes, and Jack began to feel sad. The evening flew by so fast that part of him wished that there was more time to be spent with the writer, but there was no turning back the clock. Jack needed to get home, they both needed too.

_“Why don’t I give you a ride home?”_

_“Oh no Mark, you don’t have too.”_

_“I want too though and I think it’s clear to you how I am when I want to do something.”_

_“Hehe, okay fine! Though don’t think I’m not gonna find a way to make it up to you.”_

_“Oh babe, I don’t doubt you for a second.”_

A ring of the bell snapped Jack out of his thoughts when he saw the figure of another woman walk into his store. Though he knew she wasn’t a customer as he was quick to recognize who she was by the long black hair and single streak of blond that flowed through it like a ribbon of gold.

“Suzy!” Jack smiled and gave her a small wave. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here for at least another ten minutes.

Suzy just giggled and walked over to the counter where Jack was residing at. “I was gonna wait a bit longer, but I felt like taking my lunch break a bit earlier today, I wasn’t able to eat breakfast this morning so I was starving.”

Jack chuckled at this, in a way he was jealous that Suzy was able to step outside her store  once in awhile for a quick lunch break. It really was the perks of running a store that was big enough to hire multiple people, If Suzy wanted to take a break for lunch she usually had her friend Holly standing in for her and vise versa. Jack for the time being was a-one-man show who’s original counter man quit on him so he could move closer to the Santa Monica area. Despite this, he wasn’t completely alone, and he was always thankful whenever Suzy came to visit him during her breaks.

“Have you eaten yet?” She asked him.

“No, I haven’t, not yet at least.” Jack answered, “I think I’m gonna wait till it turns One, plus I had some toast before work.”

“Understandable,” Suzy said as she leaned her body against the counter. “I hope I’m not bothering you when you’re too busy.”

“Naw, you’re fine. In fact I really could use the company.”

“Good, because I’m dying to know how your date with Mark went.”

Jack paused for a moment, of coarse Suzy would like to know how things with Mark went. Jack knew that he should have expected this, and yet he found himself stumbling on what to say. He wish he could tell Suzy the full truth, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. It was too soon, and it didn’t help that she was a genuine fan of the very person that Jack was dating.

“It was good, really good actually.” He finally said. “We talked, we ate, and he was even nice enough to give me a ride home.” Mark didn’t know how much Suzy already knew about Mark to where she could connect the dots, hell just the fact that she knew his first name was a bit risky.  

“Oh so did he spend the night with you?”

Jack flushed a bit from the question. “Heh no, he didn’t spend the night, and even if he did do you really think I would tell you?”

The two stared at each other for a good minute, as though they where having a staring contest with one another. "Would you?”

“Pfff, no of course not!”

Suzy laughed at Jack’s reaction. “Aw Jack, either way, I’m happy you had a good time! So you really think he’s gonna be a keeper?”

“Hm maybe, we both agreed to take it slow, but I really want him to be a keeper.” Jack said, speaking more honestly than he wanted too. “I really like him, and I just want to get a chance to know him better. We're gonna go out again next week so I’m excited.”

“Oh nice! Where too?”

“Not sure yet, we're still figuring it out.”

“That’s cool, heh again I’m so happy for you.” Suzy said with a smile. “If you guys are still dating you should totally invite him to the Halloween Party next month, I bet he’ll love it!”

Jack paused for a moment, uncertain as to what to say. “Uh, sure I could defiantly ask him, but I can’t make any promises.”

“I know that, even if he can’t come the invitation is still open.”

“Thanks Suzy.”

There was a brief moment of silence before Suzy smiled again once she noticed the book on the counter. “Oh, so you decided to read it after all.”

Jack scoffed. “Yep, you managed to break me down.”

“As I usually do,” Suzy said with an air of triumph. “So what do you think of it so far?”

“It’s pretty good, I mean I didn’t make it that far, but I like it.”

“See I told you you would, and here you are always doubting me.”

“What? I don’t doubt you,” Jack protested, “I just know that sometimes our tastes don’t match all the time. That and you know how I feel about M.E. Fischbach.”

Well Suzy didn’t know that much if Jack were to be with himself.

“You say that now, but just you watch, I’ll make you a fan yet!”

Jack was about to speak in defiance, but was interrupted by that familiar ringing sound by the door. The two friends turned their attention to the door only to be greeted by a man who Jack could honestly say was indeed a new customer as there was absolutely nothing familiar about him. He was an older, but tall man that easily towered both Suzy and Jack and had almost a scruffy look to him and yet there was certain type of gentleness in his eyes that was enough to put whatever uncertainty Jack might have had at ease. Suzy, however had to stop herself from staring, though it wasn’t because of any form of skepticism she might have had for the strange customer, but because there was something strikingly familiar about him and yet she couldn’t quite put her finger around it.

“Oh hello sir!” Jack greeted the stranger with the same politeness that he showed every customer that stepped foot into his shop. “Is there anything I can help you with?”

 “Hmm yes, actually there is…” The man said in an almost wary voice as he looked down at the much shorter Irishman behind the desk. “I’m looking for a couple of taxidermies for my office back home and a friend of mine recommended your shop to me.”

Jack parted his lips to speak, but it took him a moment to find the words he wanted to say. Didn’t Mark once mention something to him about knowing people who were interested in taxidermy? Jack quickly pushed the thought out of his head, after all his shop was well known in the area. Anyone could have recommended Mythos to the taller man standing before Jack, all of it was nothing more but a coincidence.

“Oh absolutely, here follow me!”

Forcing a smile, Jack got up from the counter and lead much taller man to the back of the room past the Plague Doctor mannequin where most of his taxidermies were usually kept. It was a wide room covered head to toe with displays of stuffed owls, deers, mice and rabbits. Somewhere in natural poses and made to look as they did when they were still alive, while others, particularly the mice, were set in little stages and dressed up to reenact scenes from plays or books. On the walls where mounded heads and skulls of deer ranging from bucks to does as well as an occasional butterfly collection behind a glass frame. The room itself was a rather stuffy room, and most likely filled with dust what with all the clutter that the displays created, but it had a certain charm to it that Jack enjoyed. And while he still dusted the room every now and then, he could never truly bring himself to empty it out.

“Did you make all these?” The other man asked, as he looked around the room with what could only be described as pure wonderment.

“Not all of them, but most of them.” Jack said, running a hand through his hair as he did whenever

“Well regardless, they're all really lovely.”The man said with a smile. “You really are a talented young man, I’m quite jealous.”

Jack felt himself start to giggle as he always did whenever he was complimented. “Oh thank you so much! Though it’s really just a hobby of mine if anything.”

“Well be that as it may, that doesn't hide the fact that you’re quite skilled at what you do.” This caused another tiny fit of giggling to erupt from Jack, but the customer didn’t seem to mind, he simply smiled and looked over at the display of stuffed animals till something in particular caught his eye.

“Oh wow, this looks amazing.” The customer walked toward a table that showed the figure of a doe deer resting upon a small hill, however the side of her stomach was opened and emptied to reveal a small cozy living room similar to that of the Shire on the inside. Inside the deer was a small rustic fireplace, a bookshelf, rounded brick windows and a rocking chair in which sat a small stuffed mouse smoking a pipe. It was the display that Jack was the most proud of and the care and attention to detail that he put into it clearly showed.

“Did you make this one?” The customer asked.

“Oh yes!” Jack said with a quick nod. “It took me almost two months to finish, but it was worth it.”

“Amazing…” The customer walked around the deer, looking over every inch of it that he could. “I’m certainly getting a J.R.R. Tolkien vibe from it.”

“Heh well I always thought Bilbo’s house was the coziest place on earth, so that kinda served as an inspiration.”

The customer chuckled and gave the deer one last look. “Yes, it’s very lovely...I think I’d like to purchase it actually.”

Jack was surprised by this, he never thought anyone would buy the deer house what with it’s size and price, but it seemed he was wrong. “O-Oh sure! Here would you like it delivered to you or are you okay with taking it home?”

“I have my car with me, so I’m good with taking it home.”

“Very well then, here let me just...get it to the front desk.” Jack walked over to the deer and tried to pick it up as carefully as he could, mentally cursing both himself for not being strong enough and his old counter man for quitting on him.

“Let me help you with that.” The customer said.

“No, it’s fine I got it!”

“Please, I insist.”

Jack wanted to protest, but soon found the weight of the deer more manageable to lift when the taller man lifted the other side of the deer with much more ease. Jack thanked him as they both carried the deer house to the the front desk, where Jack rang the price for the display. It’s cost was $4000.00, but this didn’t seem to bother the customer as he simply payed it when his credit card with the same casualty as purchasing a pair of socks.

“Would you like a copy of your receipt?” Jack asked as he gave the other man his card and receipt.

“No thank you.”

After signing the receipt and slipping his card back into his pocket, the customer picked up the deer house by the base and lifted it from the counter with steadiness and ease.

“Do you want me to help you carry that to your car?”

“No, I think I have it under control, thank you though!”

“Of coarse! Oh here let me help you get out.”

Jack got up from the counter once again and opened the door for the man as he made his way out of the store with his newly purchased display. The man thanked Jack once again and walked down the sidewalk and around the corner to where his car was parked. Leaving Jack alone in the store with Suzy once more.

“Well jeez! Can you believe someone actually bought that thing?” Jack said as he made his way back to the counter. “I mean, shit I’m really gonna miss it but still, the man must be some kind of celebrity or just plain rich. Well either way, he was really sweet dude, I hope he comes back again.”

“Hmm yeah…” Suzy said in a quiet, almost distant voice which caused Jack to grow slightly concerned.

“Is everything okay?”

“Oh everything’s fine, it’s just...I know I’ve seen that guy somewhere before...”

“You have?” Jack asked, quirking an eyebrow. “Is he some kind of actor then? An old customer of yours?”

“No I don’t think it’s that…” She answered, “he just looks familiar to me and I can’t figure out why, ugh this is like bothering me now!”

“Well I have his recite right here so I can give you his name.” Jack took the small paper that the customer left behind and gave it a quick look. “Does the name ‘Wade Barnes’ ring a bell to you?”

Jack was then started out of his skin when Suzy released a loud gasp from her lips, her eyes widen with shock as she stared at her friend with utter bewilderment.

“What?” Jack said quickly, obviously confused and a bit concerned. “What’s wrong?!”

“I know who he was!” She said as she quickly snatched the receipt and looked it over herself, as though to make sure that Jack wasn't pulling some prank on her. “Wade Barnes...my God! That was Wade fucking Barnes and I didn’t even recognize him! Christ I’m so stupid, I swear!”

“Who’s Wade Barnes?” Jack asked, this time more confused than ever.

“Who’s Wade Barnes?!” Suzy said in utter shock. “My dude, he’s another horror writer, well horror is an understatement. They’re like...really fucked up horror stories, in fact there more exploitation than horror.” She explained. “Like, do you remember The Girl on 10th Street? That was his book.”

Jack nearly shuddered at the mere mention of the book, he remembered reading it a while ago but he never had the chance to finish it. It was a grizzly tale about a young woman who was kidnapped by her estranged father and kept as a sex slave for God knows how many years. From what Suzy told him though it had somewhat of a happy ending what with the character finally escaping, but not after being raped and forced to give birth to two children because of her father’s sick perversions. Needless to say, it was a book that Jack rather disliked and had no plans of continuing anytime soon yet what shocked him the most was how someone that nice could write something so horrific. Then again, he supposed the same could have been said for Mark and whoever else he was friends with.

“I still never fully forgave you for making me read that thing you know.” Jack said almost bitterly.

“Yes, yes I know, you’ve made that quite clear to me many times before.” She said while giving her wrist a small flick. “But, wow can you believe it? First you have M.E. Fischbach lurking around this area last week and then Wade Barnes just pops in out of nowhere, talk about a lucky area to be in.”

“Heh, yeah, pretty dame lucky.”

Suzy chuckled and gave her arms a stretch, “Well this has been fun, but I better get back to work. I’ll text you later tonight.”

“Alright Suzy, I’ll talk to you then, see you!”

The two said their goodbyes and Jack sat behind his counter in silence once Suzy had left the store. So much for keeping a low profile, Jack thought to himself, although he really couldn’t complain. I mean if Mark wanted to recommend his store to some of his friends he could, but there was just one thing that irked him. Reaching his arm out, Jack grabbed hold of his cellphone and began to text his date about all that happened.

_Jack-A-Booper: Hey babe u there?_

A minute past before the cellphone vibrated with a response.

_Markimoo: Hey! How are you? :)_

_Jack-A-Booper: I’m good ^^ i just have something interesting to tell u._

_Oooh what?_

_Jack-A-Booper: Now i’m not sure but i think one your friends stopped in to shop do you know who wade barnes is?_

_Markimoo: Wade was at your store??!!_

Jack could help but chuckle at the response.

_Jack-A-Booper: Yeah he was! hehe_

_Markimoo: Aw man like I know i talked about your store to him but i didn’t think he would go over there so soon._

_Markimoo: Also dont worry he doesn't know we're dating yet lol_

Jack felt a little bit better at this and texted back.

_Jack-A-Booper: Aw don’t worry I know you wouldn’t tell anyone yet. Besides he seems really nice when he came here._

_Markimoo: yeah wade is a good guy, a bit of a sadist but a good guy nonetheless._

Jack chuckled again and two continued text each other back and forth in a conversation that went from Wade, to casual and intimate flirting, to the plans for the upcoming second date. Though Jack told the writer that such plans needed to wait till work was over, as there conversation through text was interrupted as yet another customer stepped into the store to shop.


	6. The Abandoned Zoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, this took forever for me to actually sit down and finish, I apologies you guys.
> 
> I hope you enjoy and that it was worth the wait.

It was another Saturday morning and Jack was sitting at the end of his bed as he looked through the messages on his phone, his green hair still fairly damp after his annual morning shower. Jack was quite eager that morning as he knew that Mark would be arriving at his apartment very soon to pick him up for their second outing together. All in all, Jack was excite, not in a nervous way like he was the first night, but in a good way. Whatever concerns Jack might have had prior seemed very minor to him now. While he knew that their will come a time where their relationship will become more private, Jack simply didn’t want to worry about that just yet. For now, the Irishman just wanted to focus on today, and what him and Mark were going to do to enjoy themselves. After much discussion, the two decided it would be fun to take a trip over to the large municipal mountain area known as Griffin Park. Jack always heard about the area, and though he always wanted to visit it, he never quite had the chance to do so. Work always got in the way and on the weekends he didn’t like traveling anywhere that was more than five blocks away from his apartment. So to have a chance to visit the park, especially with Mark of all people, was a delightful opportunity. Plus, Mark told him that he would be bringing Chica, which made Jack all the more excited. 

Hopping onto his feet, Jack put down the phone and got dressed as quickly as he could. Mark would be arriving in fifteen minutes and he needed to slip into something presentable, but casual enough to be considered ‘park material’. So he slipped on a plane green shirt, jeans, and a black leather jacket which gave him something of a ‘bad boy’ look, but Jack knew that this was only incidental. Jack was far from the typical ‘bad boy’ and lord knows that his friends would be quick to point that out. Though none of that seemed to matter at the moment, for when Jack saw himself in the mirror, he thought he looked good and he hoped that Mark thought so too. 

Suddenly there was a loud, but brief rattling noise coming from Jack’s night table. His phone received a text message and Jack was all too eager to see who it was from, though he already had a good idea as to who it was already. 

_ Markimoo: Hey Jack! Just giving you a five minute heads up on my way. _

Jack grinned with excitement.

_ Jack-A-Booper: Yay!! I’ll meet you outside the gate! _

Slipping his phone into his pocket, Jack hurried out of his room and grabbed his keys that were hanging from a small hook in the hallway. Slipping into his shoes, Jack made his way out of the apartment, locking the door behind him before heading down to where the main gate was on the ground floor. Jack decided to make his way down using the stairs, as the elevator was malfunctioning for the third time that month, and hurried toward the entrance of the gate where Mark had promised to meet him. Jack waited as patiently as he could, though it was a bit of a struggle for him to contain his excitement. Yet just as he was about to take his phone out, Jack could see Mark’s car pull up in front of the gate with ease. Jack smiles, and without hesitation headed towards the passenger seat of the car, where Mark was waiting from him with just as much enthusiasm. 

“Hey you!” Mark said as he watched the younger man step inside car and closing the door shut. “You’re looking handsome as usual.” 

Jack chuckles at the compliment. “Thanks babe, you’re lookin’ pretty sexy yourself, but that’s really no surprise.” 

Before Jack could snap in his seat belt, he was greeted by a wet, cold object gently nudging at his arm. It wasn’t till Jack turned around did he notice the face of an adorable golden retriever puppy staring back at him.    


Jack squealed at the site, eager to finally see Chica in person for the first time. “Awwww hello! Daw your so cute!” Jack cooed, petting her fuzzy golden head, from which she responded by giving him a few gentle licks on his nose. 

Jack giggled from the affection. “Aw Mark I'm so happy you brought her, I just wanna squeeze her, she’s so damn cute.”

“Heh thanks, she gets that a lot, don’t you baby-girl?” Mark said sweetly, giving her a good pet on the head before eventually shooing her to the backseat of the car. “I honestly can’t go anywhere without her.”

“Heh, I can see why. Aw, what a baby!”

Jack peaked behind his seat and watched as Chica stuck her head out the small open window of the backseat car door once the vehicle was in motion.

“Aw well I can tell she’s lookin’ forward for the park just as much as I am,” Jack chuckles and leaned back into his seat, “have you ever been up there before?”

“I been there once, but it was like...I don't know, a year ago?” Mark answered. “It was over by the observatory though, never saw the merry go round or abandoned zoo.”

“Oh how’s the observatory?”

“It was very nice, definitely the place to go if you like space and things of that nature.”

“I like space!” Jack said eagerly, “we should check it out after the zoo!”

“Heh, well you know I can’t say no to that, let's just hope that they allow pets.”

“I think they do, I mean they should shouldn’t they?”

“They might, eh we’ll play it by ear and see.”

Jack shrugged, “That fine with me. Heh, what about you Chica? Any thoughts?”

Chica, of coarse, didn’t respond and instead only kept herself busy with the wind hitting her face as Mark drove the car towards their destination.

Driving to the park was the easy part, it was a quiet evening and the traffic on the road was surprising minimal. The tricky part was finding a place to park the car, as the part itself wasn't so much a park as it was an entire mountain range. The park consisted of acres upon acres of grassy fields for the casual picknicker, rocky terrains for the hiker, and large towering foothills that allowed any traveler to get a clear view of the large west coast metropolis that was the city of Los Angeles. The vegetation that covered the foothills was a mix of both lush green trees and dry brown shrubs. It was clear as to why the park had its reputation for being a birthplace for wildfires, just by taking one look at those dry bushes and shrubs would make it obvious to anyone as to just how flammable they really were. Just one spark from alone different ash would be enough to turn these large beautiful mountains into a hellscape in a matter of seconds. Though fortunately for Jack, Mark, and many others were attending the park that evening, it was something that didn’t shear them away from enjoying themselves at the park. Everything was open and safe, so no one had a reason to fret. 

Finally, after much searching, Mark was able to find a spot to park, which was such a relief for him and Jack that the both of them burst out into a little cheer at the site of it. Once parked, the two made their way down the path to where the zoo was said to reside at. Chica, though leashed, naturally took the lead and decided to trot in front of the couple with such happiness and confidence that was enough to put any dog to shame. 

Jack thought the display was the cutest thing he’s ever seen.

“I’m surprised that you don’t bring her out here more often,” Jack said as they walked, “it’s like, the perfect place to bring a dog.” 

Mark chuckled at this. 

“Well I would if I had the time, between all the driving and the parking just to get here I’m better off just taking her to the dog park.”

“Heh, isn’t it like that for everything in California? Shitty drivers and more cars then their are parking spots?”

“Eh you get used to it after a while.”

“I don’t know, I’ve been living here in California for a while now and I’m still not fully used to it yet.”

“The key word is ‘yet’, my dear.”

After walking down the path and up a small hill, a large cave structure came into the couple’s view. By the cuts, and shapes of the rocks, it was very obvious that the structure in on itself was man made, with large thick trees and shrubs that covered it’s top like an unkept wig. Their were perhaps, three maybe four smaller tunnels pathed within the strucker that were no taller than eight feet in length. The whole thing itself resembles what could have been the skeletal remains of a mountain themed playground which was then slowly converted into a picnic spot, if the wooden picnic tables that were perched in front of the caves were of any indication. As far as Jack knew it could have been just that. Of coarse Mark was their to point out just what it was they were stumbling upon. 

“Well here’s the zoo, well part of it at least,” The author explained, as the walked closer to the structure, “this was supposed to be where they kept the bears.” 

Jack, ever the enthusiast for all this abandoned, was visibly fascinated by this. 

“Oh so this was the bear caves basically, that makes sense!” Jack said, placing a hand on the man made stone. “That’s pretty cool, I mean it’s a pretty decent size for the bears I think.”

Mark smirked and said, “Oh babe, you’re only seeing the ‘nice’ part of the zoo. You haven’t seen the cages yet.”

Jack was about to answer, but only chuckled when he saw Chica trying desperately to run into one of the caves, with only Mark’s hold on her leash being the only thing to stop her. “Aww she wants to be free!”

“I would let her go but I can’t, she might get hurt if she climbs up that thing.”

“I think your being an overprotective dad.”

“And I think you’re trying to enable her.”

Jack have him an expression of mocked outrage. “What? Me an enabler? How dare! All I wanna do is let little Chica run around and be adorable, is that so hard?” Jack got on his knees and took Chica’s face into his hands and scratched her neck gently. “Right Chica? Isn’t Markimoo such a mean daddy?” The younger man giggled when Chica began licking his nose and lips.

“Hehe, you know it’s funny, I don’t usually have people calling me daddy till at least after the third of fourth date.”

Jack nearly choked on his own spit.

“W-What the fuck?!” Jack stuttered, trying his dame hardest not to burst out into a fit of laughter. “Why would say that?!”

Mark bit his lip, he too was also trying to suppress himself from laughing, “What? I'm just saying!”

“God! You’re dirty old man, you know that?”

“I think that's a bit of an exaggeration don't you think?” Mark protested, “I mean I am dirty but I don't believe I'm that old.”

“Older than me, that's for sure,”

“Which kinds makes the nickname ‘daddy’ more justifiable in a way don’t you think?”

“Pfff! Oh don’t you even!” Jack laughed before getting back into his feet. “We have an age gap, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna be calling you ‘daddy’ anytime soon.”

Mark smirked and said, “Oh, is that a challenge I sense?”

“I’m not suggesting anything, that’s all on you, babe.” Jack said with a coy smile, “happen to have pretty good self control, even in the heat of the moment. Though, if you think you can squeeze it out of me, I’d love to see it.”

Mark snickered at this and wrapped an arm around Jack’s shoulders, which caused the irishman to let out a little surprised squeak from the touch. “I think I can come up with something creative for when the time comes.”

Jack giggled and gave Mark a chaste, but soft kiss on the cheek. “You’re so cruel, you know that?” The Irishman ran a hand through Mark’s hair, scratching his scalp gently which brought out a satisfying moan from the older man. “I thought we were gonna take things slowly, and you can’t even get past the second date.” 

“Mmmmh, I know, I’m fucking awful,” Mark muttered, sliding his hand down Jack’s back, which caused the younger man to shutter, “you’re just so damn cute, I can’t help it.”

Jack bit his lip to hold back a bashful laugh, “Careful Mark, if you keep this up people are gonna give us weird looks.”

“Come now, who out here is gonna go out of their way too-”

“Mark, Is that you?”

Both men froze and quickly turned their gaze towards the direction of the voice, which was not only familiar to Make, but to Jack as well. It wasn’t till the Irishman got a look of the stranger did he instantly recognized who it was and it was enough to make Jack’s blood run cold with shock. 

It was the customer from a few days ago. 

Wade Barnes, under bizarre circumstances, had discover them. 

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from lyrics of the song "I Miss You" by Blink 182, it's a good song and it felt oddly fitting, forgive me I'm so unoriginal.


End file.
